Fire incidents at scrapyards
A scrapyard located at Verna Industrial Estate reportedly caught fire on Friday evening destroying lots of items in the yard. The fire was so huge that a thick smoke could be seen from afar. It is learnt that the incident began when grass in the vicinity caught fire and the flames spread to the scrapyard which had a huge quantity of plastic and wooden items.
It must be said that there have been several instances in the past when scrapyards have been gutted in fire incidents. Scrapyards usually store several kinds of flammable goods which is an open invitation for a fire incident. These yards also store gas cylinders which are used for cutting metal. If these cylinders burst it will only add to the fire tragedy.
The fire will also result in air pollution as thick smoke will be released. Scrapyards may not have the requisite fire-fighting equipment. It is prudent for the scrapyards to obtain necessary NOC from the fire department and the premises need to be inspected periodically for fire-fighting capabilities.
Scrapyards can prove dangerous for people living nearby. Such yards should not be allowed near residential areas in order to prevent any untoward incident.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Dark day for the rule of law
The very brutal attack on Adv Gajanan Sawant by the Porvorim Police is deplorable and that erring officer must not be spared the rod. It was a very dark day for the rule of law as the law of the jungle prevailed. Law enforcers must never be Law breakers, seriously damaging the Rule of Law and eroding the trust that people should have in our Police force.
Such acts of improper behaviour that we have been witnessing at all ranks within a force that should have been disciplined, only demonstrates that all is not well.
There is a need to swiftly weed out with an iron hand the rotten apples from within the Police establishment to ensure its much needed credibility. Truthfulness must always be at the heart of policing and is fundamental to the public having genuine confidence and trust in their Police. Every Cop must be a dedicated public servant sworn to protect public safety at all times, upholding the law and never dare breaching it.
Steps must be taken to ensure a much disciplined police force. But this may be difficult to achieve as like all other government recruitment, many have found their way into the Goa Police either through political patronage or possibly by paying for the job. Integrity is the foundation of law enforcement, and anyone failing to display integrity and honesty in their dealings with others should never be part of any credible Police force at any level.
Our DGP Jaspal Singh must with a very heavy hand stem out the current chronic and day to day political interference in the working of the Goa Police. Only then can we hope to see a very professional police force and the much needed good policing. This has been the mandate of the Supreme Court while directing that the working of the Police should be free from any and all political machinations. No one can be above the law.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
The enduring Gujarat model
Whatever said and done, the magical wave of Modi continues to manage and achieve a momentous win in his home State of Gujarat. Despite winning for the 7th time he showed his class and composure and never slowed during his victory speech.
Congress and the AAP tried out all the time tested methods but everything went awry in vain. It is now proved beyond doubt that Gujarat State is the enduring model for the Indian state and no one can come near such a stupendous performance. The voters showed faith and that was evident from the commanding win. Opposition party candidates even conceded deposit in the aftermath of the Tsunami that struck the state.
This time round there were no comments about EVMs and no complaints about rigging. Gujarat Model showed great guts and gumption and that was revealed in the high percentage of votes polled in favour of BJP and an 85% seats were won with comfortable margin. As a matter of fact, even other parties got their share of victories – AAP in Delhi, Congress in Himachal Pradesh, BJD and also RJD and SP in the bye election.
Gujarat voters will not switch allegiance without a credible alternative to BJP.
C K Subramaniam, Navi Mumbai
The three factors
A close look at the results of the just concluded Gujarat elections reveals that three factors that contributed for the massive victory of the BJP in the state; the charisma of Prime Minister Modi, votes bagged by the AAP in around 50 constituencies which spoiled the chances of victory for the Congress and last but not the least, the alleged partisan attitude of the Election Commission in favour of the saffron party.
While the Gujarati-pride over their fellowman being the PM of the country has made the Gujaratis to conveniently forget all the commissions and omissions of the ruling party including the death of 141 people and many injured in the Morbi tragedy to vote for the BJP, the missing unity among the AAP and the Congress to fight the election together has resulted in them losing around 50 seats.
That the Election Commission waited patiently to announce the election dates to the state till all the new projects to be implemented in the state were announced/inaugurated by the PM in massive rallies and that it also looked the other way when PM Modi addressed rallies in the areas where the second phase of elections were to be conducted when voting was on in the first phase of elections and also that when PM Modi walked almost one and a half kilometres with his supporters as if in an election rally while he was in his constituency to cast his vote, all in contravention of the model code of conduct in place, have definitely made one exclaim, ‘Et tu EC?’
Tharcius S Fernando, Chennai
Modi’s insolent democracy
Modi’s road show in Gujarat on Election Day is again that in-your-face pugnacious attitude of his, saying I will do this. Let me see what you can do about it. Insolence is Modi’s hallmark. This message is to the Opposition considering that the Election Commission is in his pocket and they would not dare take any action.
Where it is expected that the Prime Minister of the nation would set an example by following the election norms? Modi does the complete opposite. He goes out and publicly and brazenly flouts the Election Commission guidelines. Where the lead as the custodian of democracy is with the Prime Minister, Modi makes light of it. That is the problem.
Srinivas Kamat, Alto St Cruz
Open letter to the District Magistrate
Request to dissolve the Citizens Committee on Noise Pollution appointed by the Hon’ble High Court in Suo Motu Petition 4 of 2006
I request you to dissolve the Citizens Noise Committee for Calangute and Anjuna Coastal belt as it does not serve any purpose as the Member Secretary of GSPCB published a Public Notice in the local newspapers on Salient Features of the Action Plan to curb Noise Pollution and the Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch have constituted a Special three- member flying squad to the enforce the Noise Pollution strictures as directed that the Hon’ble High Court has passed.
Thanking you for your co-operation in curbing noise pollution especially during the tenure of your predecessor Ms Nilla Mohanan who had held her position with high esteemed not only as a District Magistrate but also during the Covid-19 Pandemic as a Secretary of Health Ministry
Antonio Jose de Souza, Calangute
